Boys of endless summer can't get enough baseball

By Becky Hopf Special to The Tuscaloosa News

Wednesday

Dec 19, 2012 at 12:01 AM

Michael Jacobson and Randall Turner don’t let age stand in the way of playing their favorite sport.

Both play for the Men’s Senior Baseball League’s Tuscaloosa Tornados. Jacobson, a 19-year league veteran, is a pitcher, and Turner, who’s in his 18th season, is an outfielder and the team’s coach. They keep returning to the diamond each summer for exercise, competition and fellowship. It’s the latter that has led them to on-the-field greatness.

TUSCALOOSA | They are men in their 50s who annually revert to boys of summer.

Michael Jacobson and Randall Turner don’t let age stand in the way of playing their favorite sport.

Both play for the Men’s Senior Baseball League’s Tuscaloosa Tornados. Jacobson, a 19-year league veteran, is a pitcher, and Turner, who’s in his 18th season, is an outfielder and the team’s coach. They keep returning to the diamond each summer for exercise, competition and fellowship. It’s the latter that has led them to on-the-field greatness.

“One of the things I really enjoy about playing is all the people you meet and come in contact with from traveling and playing in tournaments,” said Jacobson, 59 and a realtor.

Among those they meet are players from other teams, teams looking for players to fill out rosters. The Delco Bandits, based in Pennsylvania, invited the Tuscaloosa duo to play on their 52-plus team a few years ago, a coupling that in 2008 found Turner and Jacobson celebrating as MSBL Fall Classic national champions. Delco went 7-1 in the series, losing the opening game then winning seven straight for the title.

Last month the two celebrated a second national championship, this time with the Chicago Sea Dogs, who went 8-0 at the Fall Classic, defeating Puerto Rico 4-0 in the title game. Turner batted .360 in the series, going 9 for 25 with four RBIs. One of those RBIs put the Sea Dogs ahead 3-0 in a 4-3 semifinal win against Austin, Texas. Jacobson hit 4 for 8 with three RBIs and pitched 10 innings. He was 1-0 on the mound.

The two, both grandfathers, tag up with clubs after their season with the Tuscaloosa Tornados ends or when there’s a break. Sometimes they play in two divisions at nationals, the 52-plus and the 45-plus (this year they also played for the 45-plus D.C. Express), spending two weeks at nationals in Jupiter, Fla., playing as many as 15 games. One of their Tornados teammates, Carl Cottingham, played on Boone County, Ky.’s 35-plus team that finished second. The three often practiced together in Tuscaloosa this fall to prepare for nationals.

From late spring through August, their hearts and play are with Tuscaloosa, a team Jacobson and Turner helped found in 1997. The Tornados play in the Birmingham league and advanced to the playoffs this past season.

“We have different talent levels, basically a group of guys who love playing baseball. That’s what we all have in common. We like the competition. It’s still competitive. It’s at a slower pace because of our ages, but it’s still competitive. As you play these tournaments around the nation, you’re still going up against excellent ball players,” said Turner, 57, a City of Tuscaloosa inspector for the Division of Water Distribution.

And it helps when you win a national championship or two.

“It’s always fun to win. We’re not jumping on top of each other — we may not be able to get back up,” Jacobson joked. “It’s a really good group of guys who know the game. They know how to play the game. They’re disciplined. You have to have good chemistry, and that’s what you find. Before you even go down there (to nationals), everyone knows what their role is going to be. I knew I wasn’t going to pitch the championship game, but I knew I had a role in pitching innings during the week. The coach does an excellent job of preparing us, and we all really enjoy what we’re out there doing and playing together.”

The two have no plans for stopping any time soon. Baseball, as long as they are physically able, will continue to be their summertime pursuit. Jacobson’s son, Jeremy, has even gotten into it, playing for a team in New Orleans.

“I love playing. For the hours that you are there, it’s three hours where the only thing on your mind is baseball. You couldn’t pay a therapist enough money to do what we do in that time we’re playing ball. It takes you away from everything else that’s going on in the world. It’s the joy of being out at the ballpark,” Jacobson said.

“It’s a love for the sport,” Turner said. “I grew up playing baseball and always loved it. I’ll keep playing as long as my health allows.”

For more information on joining the Tuscaloosa Tornadoes MSBL team, for ages 35 and up, call Michael Jacobson at 205-394-0451.

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